Sound reproducer for the deaf



SOUND REPRODUCER FOR THE DEAF Filed Dec. 11, 1928 IN VEN TOR PatentedJune 24-, 193

CARL ALBERT BATH, F ESTACADA, OREGON SOUITD BEPRODUCER FOR THE DEAFApplication filed December 11, 1928. serial No. 325,264.

The primary purpose and object of my device is to aid the deaf to hearand is more especially intended to aid those whose ears render little orno assistance to hearing.

A further object of my device consists in providing simple and efficientmeans adapted to be worn fixedly by the userand to preferably transmitthe sound through an amplifier to the mastoid'portion of the tem- .10poral bone. I have long been a sufferer wlth impaired hearing and I havefound satisfactory results may be obtained where the sound has beentransferred to the mastoid portion of the temporal bone from anamplifier through a suitable sound carrying agent as hard wood.

My invention consists primarily of a sound amplifier, of which there aremany on the market, a carrying jacket for the amplifier head or breast,or at any other suitable point of support. -A bifurcated member, beingformed, preferably from seasoned hard wood, issecured to the soundamplifier and is tensioned over the outlet point of the amplifier toincrease the reverberatory power of the bifurcated member. The amplifiersound is transmitted to the mastoid portion of the temporal bone by padsformed at the free 3 end of each of the bifurcated elements.

The device may also be made in a single outlet and be worn in the formof a crown with but a single discharge terminal. The discharge terminalalso transmitting the sound to the mastoidportion of the temporal bone.

A further object of my device resides in a rugged device that may beWorn while the user is at work without fear of destruction or 49 damageto the device.

A further object of my device is to prevent the wearer of the devicedeveloping head aches as is many times the result where the amplifiersound is delivereddirectly into the ear of the user of such device.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel fea tures of construction and combination of parts, theessential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and apreadapted to be worn by the user either on the ferred form ofembodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the draw--ingswhich accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a wearer of one of my devicesin preferred embodiment showini the device being worn upon the breast.

ig. 2 is a front view of the'assembled de vice shown removed from thewearer.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the amplifier of the device illustrating thesupporting jacket for the amplifier and also illustrating the means fortensioning the attaching end of the bifurcated sound carrying member.

Fig. 4 illustrates one of my devices being. worn upon the head of theuser. i

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

1 is an audible vibration producer having. upturned ears 2* throughwhich passes the sound carrying agent 2. The sound carrying, ortransmit-ting member 2, has a pin 3, passing therethrough and supportedwithin the ears 2". Disposed upon the oppositely disposed side of thebody of the amplifier 1 is an adjusting port 4. An opening 5 is'disposed within the post 4, through which one end of the soundtransmitter 2 passes. The free end of the transmitter 2 rests upon a.resilient element 6. The resilient member 6 may be made of any suitablematerial as a coil spring. The resilient element being maintained Withina well 7, disposed in the post 4. An adjusting screw 8, rests upon thefree end of the sound carrying agent. In order to facilitate thetensioning of the sound carrying member, the same passes over a support9, upwardly extending from the case of the amplifier 1. The exerting ofpressure, 0 upon the free end of the sound carrying membar 2, stressesthe sound carrying member. To increase the vibratory power of the soundcarrying member 2, the same is cut away between the support 9 and theadjusting screw 8, to thin the same and increase its capacity forvibration. A metallic button 10 is disposed upon the under side of thetensioned member to act as a wearing plate. The. button 10 being placedin registerable alignment with. 9

CT) I the outlet point 11 ofthe audible vibration I producer 1. Thesound carrying member, in preferred embodiment is made bifurcated at 12and 13 to permit of a terminal 14 and 15 being placed over each of themastoid portions of each of the temperal bones, thereby delivering soundto each side of the head. A supporting case is made for the audiblevibration producer illustrated in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3, consisting of abody element 17, having upturned engaging fingers 18 between which thebody of the audible vibration producer is made to engage. Supportingstraps 19 and 20 are secured to the body element and are made ofmaterial suitable to engage the shoulders of the wearer, and to besufficiently strong, when hooks 21 and 22 are formed. at the upper endof the same, to engage the shoulders of the wearer and support thedevice in place. i

The device maybe arranged to fit a crown 23 as illustrated in Fig. 4,wherein the audible vibration producer is fitted to the crown 23 and thesound carrying member 2 leads to the mastoid portion of the'temporalbone as heretofore described.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form ofembodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible ofembodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich fol- What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination with an audiblevibration producer of a bifurcated seasoned hard wood carr ing element,secured to the vibration pro ucer, means associated with the vibrationproducer for stressing the free end of the sound carrying member andterminal ,ends of the sound carrying member adapted for engagement withand resting upon the mastoid portion of the temporal bone.-

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with an audiblevibration producer, of a sound carrying member made of seasoned hardwood secured to the vibration producer, the inner end of the soundcarrying member engaging upon a support, means for stressing the innerend of the sound carrying member as the same rests upon the point ofoutlet of the vibration producer and bifurcated-ends terminating thesound carrying member, the free endof each adapted for engagement withthe mastoid portion of the temporal bone of the cranium.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with an audiblevibration producer of a hard wood carrying member, means for securingthe hard wood carrying member to an audible vibration producer, meansfor stressing the hard wood carrying member as the same passes over theoutlet point of the vibration producer and means for maintaining thefree end of the sound carrying member in contact withthe mastoid portionof the temporal bone of the user of the device.

4. In a device for transmitting audible vibrations to the mastoidportion of the eranium, a vibration producer having upwardly extendingears disposed on its outer wall, an adjusting post having an openingdisposed therein disposed on the oppositely disposed side in directalignment with the ears, and a forked vibration transmitting membermovably journaled within the ears, the free end of said'memberdisposedwithin the adjusting post under tension adapted to adjustment.

' Q CARL ALBERT RATH.

